Men and women’s growth of healthy muscle, bone, body fat regulation and sexual desire and sense of well-being is dependent upon the metabolisms optimization of 7 hormones working in harmony with each other. The decline in maleness is now being referred as andropause, while the parallel term used on women is menopause. These terms are characteristic of the aging process. There is something you can do about reversing the attributes of old age without creating risk to your good health. Of course, you must understand, there are specific conditions to be aware of prior to participating in any hormone stimulation program, to include supplementing your diet.

You first must be aware why marketers have taken advantage of hormone replacement therapy and androgen stimulation science to promote products that may not be in your best health interest (i.e., supplementation and steroids). Today, we’ll be looking at 2 of the most important male hormones that are also produced within women that contribute to wellbeing (Testosterone and Growth Hormone). Yes, women do produce this hormone in small amounts.

GH (Growth Hormone) also called somatotropin, and somatotropic hormone is produced by and secreted by a man and woman’s anterior pituitary gland (located at the base of the brain), through the glands somatotrope cells. This hormone stimulates the release of another hormone called somatomedin that is produced by the liver which causes growth during puberty. These complex GH protein cells released by these pituitary cells influences the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and other proteins within the metabolic function. GH is an occurring 190 complex amino acid protein hormone synthesized by our body’s pituitary function.

The major role of GH is to balance and sustain human growth and metabolism after puberty. Another role of GH as we become adults is to regulate body weight. It targets adipose (fat cells) receptor sites to stimulate the breakdown of the fatty triglyceride acids while suppressing the fat cell from absorbing more fat after you eat. When the gland is producing enough of this somatotoph protein hormone there is an immediate release of an insulin-like Growth Hormone (IGF-I) secreted by the liver and other soft tissues that also maintains the bodies healthy muscle mass through cell repair complimenting muscle strength and growth.

As medical doctors and scientists focus on HGH (Human Growth Hormone) effect in human and animal studies, it is understood that this hormone as well as the body’s natural producing androgen (testosterone/estrogen) are very significant “anti-aging” metabolic components. This becomes more important knowledge as you’re wondering how to optimize and maintain these hormone levels to help slow down the aging process and provide more vitality. Not only do these hormones optimize metabolism in many respects for both sexes, but most important and valued attributes to both male/female: increased muscle mass, strong bones, sexual desire, reproduction, hair, skin, energy, obesity prevention and sense of well-being.

If a women has lost the pituitary GH function because of a medical condition or surgery, then this can be a major problem since the adrenal glands signaling mechanisms to the ovaries is no longer telling them to stimulate the production of fit-healthy female hormones (GH, progesterone, estrogen, testoterone). As stated, small amounts of testosterone are fractionally produced in the ovaries as in comparison to men and essential for a woman’s overall sense of well-being.

Blood tests can determine if either men/women are low in testosterone-GH and if androgen therapy is right for either sex. Testosterone therapy for women is a different set of circumstances which also appears to have some positive results if needed. A man’s testosterone production is equally split between the testes and adrenal glands (50:50). If a male’s testosterone levels drop below a safe level, increasing these levels can be accomplished through injections, pills, gels or patches. Hormone treatment is known as Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).

The healthy levels of testosterone typically found in the blood stream for men ranges from 350 to 1,000 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dl). Under the 300-350 level can then become a contributing cause to obesity, bone density loss (brittle bones), muscle loss and may increase your chance of a heart attack. And by the time a male turns 60, since you lose 1% testosterone production per year after the age of 40, impotence occurs for many men.

Young men attribute impotence as an old man’s problem, men in their 30-40’s also can have low testosterone counts. This disorder is called hypogonadism. Many times this disorder is caused by an un-descended testicle. But also common to this disorder can result from a groin injury, prescription drug use, or pituitary gland disorder, or a combination of one or more of these problems.

Although testosterone production in women is fractional in comparison to men, it is an important hormone to a women’s overall good health. And it also contributes to sex drive or libido for them. If a woman is low in testosterone production and then receive HRT to increase their testosterone levels, they often equate the quality of life effects as feeling much better as shown through scientific data.

HRT treatment for men with low testosterone production can improve male characteristics if deficient of this natural occurring hormone. It is recommended by endocrinologists that men with borderline testosterone work towards raising hormone levels naturally through exercise before going on testosterone therapy, especially if you border around 350 (ng/dl). If you can elevate testosterone naturally through exercise activity, then you’ll accomplish the same goal without the health risk associated with unnecessary hormone therapy.

The following represent the wellness benefits for men and women when maintaining normal levels of hormones: You’ll have a stronger physique, better mood, more energy and improved bedroom sessions. However, too much HRT or GH supplementation is not considered safe or useful. As a matter of fact, too much or too little appears to contribute to illness and disease complications.

It is also very controversial regarding the use of DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) supplements to stimulate GH-Testosterone release as opposed to a man’s natural production through the adrenal glands, gonads and brain. DHEA stimulation of a man’s androgen receptor cells metabolite functions cause the release of other hormones: androstenediol and adrostenedione. This is another cause for concern. This is because the metabolite functions undergo further conversion to produce the androgen testosterone through supplementation. The use of a supplement stimulant to increase androgen levels is not natural and is not recommended because of the possibility of increasing your risk to prostate cancer and heart disease.

The hormone androstenedione (mentioned above) is a common precursor sex hormone activated by the adrenal glands. This hormone is also produced within a man’s gonads. Exercise activity will stimulate androstenedione production through the adrenal gland naturally if you don’t have a glandular or metabolic disorder.

Both testosterone and GH hormones drop relatively at a similar rate through the aging process which can create the following ill-health conditions in men and women: gain in body fat, muscle/bone loss, increased breast fat, exhaustion, loss of libido and low sex drive. Can HRT treatment help me with these ill-health conditions? Yes. But it is wise to seek out an endocrinologist to determine through biochemical or physiological test results that show you have “unhealthy” low levels of one or more of the natural occurring hormones.

For both sexes it is the metabolic multi-hormonal functions on the human physiology that promotes natural weight loss and all the other anti-aging properties we desire throughout our lifecycle. These hormonal metabolic functions also help us to stimulate cell regeneration and repair bodily tissues that are beneficial to both men and women. And when these GH functions work in harmony to stimulated normal levels of testosterone, estrogen and other hormones within both sexes, then anti-aging properties are optimized.

It is a benefit to know, if you start exercising in your 20-30’s and sustain this lifestyle your decline of natural occurring hormones during the aging process will slow down considerably. Another noteworthy point: it appears that exercise activity started at a younger age for men and women and sustained also has a greater benefit to the metabolism during the senior years.

Exercise activity for women works much the same way in stimulating increased hormone levels for men. That is, what makes women-women and men-men. Exercise activity will stimulate adequate hormone production to varying degrees in helping to maintain healthy male and female no matter your age. And regardless of when you begin an exercise-activity you’ll experience these natural healthy male-female benefits for as long as you want to sustain your activity levels. If you are looking at supplementation to stimulate GH to activate and enhance male and female characteristics, it is highly recommended you seek professional counseling and lab work before you blindly elevate you’re your hormone levels. If not, you can actually speed up the aging process in a very short period of time simply by breaking your metabolism. The quick results marketers don’t care about your long-term health goals, but your doctors do!

References,

Bowen, Author R.  Growth Hormone (Somatotropin).  December 24, 2005.  http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/endocrine/hypopit/gh.html

Deadline Theme.  HGH Vs. Testosterone – Renew your Youthful Zest. 2011 Testosterone Hormone.  http://www.testosteronehormone.net/hgh-vs-testosterone/

Exercise Biology, the Science of Exercise.   Can Workouts Designed to Increase Testosterone Increase Muscle Mass?  http://www.exercisebiology.com/index.php/site/articles/can_workouts_designed_to_increase_testosterone_increase_muscle_mass_strengt/

Fit and Healthy.  How to Increase Testosterone Levels.  http://ifitandhealthy.com/how-to-increase-testosterone-levels/

Geraci, Ron.  13 Ways to Naturally Boost Your Testosterone Levels.  Men’s Health, December 25, 2000.  http://www.timinvermont.com/fitness/boosttes.htm

Healthfully.org. Testosterone for Women.  http://healthfully.org/malehormones/id17.html

Matsuno A., Katakami H., et al. Pituitary somatotroph ademnoma producing growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone (GHRH) with an elevated plasma GHRA concentration: a model case for autocrine and paracrine regulation of GH secretion by GHRH. J. Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1999 Sep; 84(9):3241-7.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10487694

The Free Dictionary by Farlex.  Growth Hormone.  http://www.thefreedictionary.com/growth+hormone

Urban Dictionary.  Testosterone.  http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=testosterone

Woodard, Marc.  Low Testosterone, another Man-Made Risky Fix?  Mirror Athlete Fitness Secrets. January 22, 2012.  http://www.mirrorathlete.org/?p=1241

Author: Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET. 2012 Copyright. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Inc., www.mirrorathlete.org, Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.